As if there weren’t enough sporting controversies going on right now, FCC, Comcast, and the Tennis Channel are all in a disputing over a bad call. Basically Comcast has sideswiped the smaller Tennis Channel again by not allowing them to be a part of their included programming packages. Why is this really all that important? Well, as many of you living in the good ‘ol US of A know, there is extremely limited tennis broadcasting; and the Tennis Channel fills that void with more tennis than I can handle in a 24 hour period.
In all of this mess, the Tennis Channel has been losing revenue during the bigger events, specifically the Majors. Because the TC can’t broadcast the tournaments live, they can’t get advertising dollars coming in and costs them fresh tennis programs for us die-hard tennis fans to watch.
Thankfully there’s the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has put their foot down on Comcast, for using their size to put a stronghold on the little guys. TC has cried discrimination, mostly due to the cable giant picking up niche sports channels like the Golf Channel and Versus, both of which provide little revenue for Comcast but get tons more exposure.
What’s the FCC going to do? Well for starters TC is going after Comcast for violating government rules that prevent cable operators from offering sweetheart deals to its own channels that discriminate against competitors. The FCC is also going to ensure that the Tennis Channel gets more exposure and is included in some of the lower cost cable packages. How about that?
Now, I know I don’t generally write on topics of this sort, but the truth is, this is extremely important news for the tennis fans who are locked into Comcast contracts – you should be getting the Tennis Channel soon! I don’t like to get into the politics of tennis but this was something I could not pass up, I just had to share.
For a look at some of Comcasts’ hidden talents, watch this video:
- 2021 French Open Wilson Racquets - April 13, 2021
- Slinger Bag and Wilson Tennis Collaboration - March 2, 2021
- Wilson Tennis and Romero Britto - February 22, 2021
I really hope the tennis channel is on the lower channel soon. It is funny because I remember saying to myself at one point a few years ago, I said self “why is the Golf Channel on Basic Cable but the Tennis Channel is not”? Plus, now it is really unbearable with the various channel changes!. ESPN2 doesn’t give enough coverage especially now with the Rogers Cup on. When Tennis Channel broadcast the Rogers Cup, it was on all day and then they re-broadcast right after. For someone like me , just pure heaven. ESPN2 only shows four hours and then you have to watch the rest on the internet. Really? I am sick of the television acrobatics. I hope, hope, HOPE this is sorted out by next season. I would be one happy camper! Please keep us up to date with the Law Judge’s final ruling. I will keep my fingers crossed in the meantime.